Amaranthine
by xLockedxheartx
Summary: Formerly titled Apprehension and Redemption. A new company is rising from Shinra's ashes, and AVALANCHE is the only thing standing in their way. They kidnap Tifa to lure AVALANCHE to them. TifaxCloud, slight Yuffentine. Full summary inside.
1. Broken Routine

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy nor any of its characters

This is my second fanfic. I am focusing on Tifa and writing about her for most of the story, though Cloud will play a big role later on, as will the rest of the gang.

**Amaranthine (adj.): Unfading, everlasting, or eternally beautiful**

**/ Indicates the beginning and end of a flashback, xxx helps to separate the story**

This is rated **T **for mild language and violence.

**Summary:** A few months after the events of Advent Children, Tifa is still working as a barmaid. Her life has settled down, but that all changes when she is kidnapped one night. A new organization hopes to become what Shinra once was using equally as destructive sources, and AVALANCHE is the only thing that stands in their way. They plan to use Tifa to lure AVALANCHE to them, and for other sinister purposes. Can Cloud and the others save Tifa, and the whole Planet, once again?

**I have not played DoC. **This story takes place after Advent Children, so therefore I am writing as if DIRGE OF CERBERUS DOES NOT EXIST. Does that mean it is slightly AU? Maybe. Got it? Good :)

Now, onward with the story!

**Amaranthine**

Chapter One: A Broken Routine

It was a quiet night. One of those rare moments of tranquility, when the world seemed to go into a slow, dreamlike state. The sky was dark and calm, and a handful of stars winked out from the blackness. It really was beautiful, and the only sound was the wind, gently whispering secrets to anyone that would listen.

But underneath the starry sky was a scene that was not quite as pretty. Edge. The city that had been built among the ruins of Midgar. More than two years after Meteor, the ruins still stood as a memorial to all those that had lost their lives to Shinra.

Midgar had been a dark, evil place, and most people tried to stay away from Edge due to the horrific memories, but there were those that remained unaffected by the city's dark history. This late at night, these brave inhabitants were sleeping in their scattered houses. Since Geostigma had been cured, there was rarely a person found sleeping in the street. That was one improvement in Edge, one of the few improvements that had been made in the years Edge had grown amidst the crumbling remains of Shinra.

This night was the same as any other. People were inside their homes, sleeping, and most of the buildings were dark.

Except one.

It was a bar, titled Seventh Heaven, and it was just one building of many in the crowded streets of Edge. But tonight it stood out from the rest, because its lights were on. It drew one's attention, a bright contrast from the dark street, and the few that were awake wondered, 'Who could be open this late?'

Her name was Tifa Lockhart. She was the owner of this bar, and had been for a couple of years now. Her bar was quite popular to come to, not only because the drinks were good, but because the famous Tifa Lockhart worked there, and the even more famous Cloud Strife lived there. They had saved the Planet a few times now, and finally others had come to appreciate all that they had done. But none of this explained why the bar was still open so late.

The truth was, Tifa was asleep. Sitting on a stool, bent over in an awkward position, she had fallen asleep on the bar while wiping it down. Her dark brown hair covered half of her face, and the only sounds in the room were her gentle breathing and the dripping of the soaking wet rag she held loosely in her hand. Tifa had never fallen asleep while closing before, but this week she had been even more tired than usual.

The bar had been busy, but more importantly, /he/ had left five days ago. Cloud. Gone yet again to make a delivery. Marlene and Denzel were on a vacation with Barret for several days, so Tifa was all alone.

She worried about Cloud sometimes. He had gotten much better these past few months, but there was still a far-off look in his eyes when she met his gaze. Tifa wasn't exactly sure why Cloud was so distant. She thought that he had found forgiveness and peace after Geostigma was cured. And though Tifa tried not to admit it, she had a suspicion that Cloud was searching for Aeris.

Aeris. The beautiful flower girl that had given her life to protect the Planet. Aeris had had a special interest in Cloud, and she had made it obvious. Despite this, Tifa couldn't make herself dislike the woman. She was kind and compassionate, and would have done anything for her friends. But when she had died, Cloud had become different. He blamed himself for her death, that much Tifa knew, but how could she be sure that Cloud didn't have deeper feelings for Aeris?

Tifa loved Cloud. She had loved him for a long time. She had never told anybody, especially not him, but every time she looked at him, Tifa was reminded of her deep feelings for him. They had been childhood friends, and Tifa had helped him sort through his memories over two years ago. Yet Tifa could still not tell if he felt something for her, other than friendship.

Tifa herself was the same, really. She was growing her dark hair out again, and it now reached her middle back. She still had the same caring brown eyes and bright personality with a heart of gold to match. Tifa also had kept her martial arts skills sharp; during her free time, she would practice her moves, go jogging, or spar with Yuffie when the ninja occasionally came to visit. Hardly anything had changed since the Geostigma outbreak. Tifa was still confused about where she stood with the man she loved. Cloud still left quite often, and was gone for a day or two, then came back exhausted and left a couple of days later to make yet another delivery. He always called to tell where he was going and when he was coming back. The calls were short, but necessary.

He had never gone this long before without contacting her. Tifa had been a nervous wreck these last few days, always wondering where Cloud was. She had tried calling him half a million times, but he never picked up. No matter how long Cloud was gone, he always called at /some/ point, until this time. Tifa was out of her mind with worry.

She had tried to sleep, but tossed and turned in her bed the last couple of nights, wondering where he could possibly be. Tifa had become sleep-deprived, and now it was all catching up to her.

The door to Seventh Heaven slowly opened and closed, but Tifa was in too deep a sleep to notice. The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard coming closer and closer to her, and Tifa still did not awaken. Not even when the figure stood directly over her did Tifa realize that someone else was in the bar…not until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Right when a gloved hand gripped her shoulder, Tifa jerked awake. Quicker than lightning she leapt out of her stool and turned to face the visitor, all of her years of martial arts training causing her to shift position into a fighter's stance. All of this happened in a split second, and Tifa did not recognize the person until her fists were raised.

Bright blue eyes, spiky blonde hair…

"Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed, relaxing her position, but her relief was quickly replaced by anger that showed in her eyes. He had been gone six days now, and had never called her nor contacted her in any way. She had been worried sick, and now he just showed up?

Cloud could obviously detect her anger, because his expression softened slightly. "Tifa, I…"

"Where were you? You've been gone five days! You didn't even call!" All of Tifa's anger burst forth at once. Normally, she was a calm and collected person, and rarely lost her temper, but all of the strain of waiting for Cloud had drawn her tighter than a bowstring.

"Tifa, I'm sorry. I-"

"That's what you say every time, Cloud!" Tifa was fighting to regain control. "But do you really mean it? Would it have been that difficult to just pick up the phone?"

"Will you just-"

"You always just leave with almost no explanation. I've put up with it for a long time, Cloud, but when you're gone for almost a week it's hard to not be angry at you!"

"Tifa, listen to me! I-"

"I've tried listening, but you never speak!" Tifa exclaimed, desperation creeping into her voice as it rose to a higher octave. "You just walk out that door again, running away, and-"

"TIFA." Cloud said, and his voice was so forceful that Tifa stopped in midsentence, staring at him, all of her anger finally fading as she controlled her emotions. She shouldn't have lost control like that. She was known for being the calm one of the group, the gentle and sweet one that held everyone together. She felt guilty for yelling at Cloud, but she had just been so worried and missed him so much that she couldn't help herself.

"Tifa, will you listen to me? I'm trying to tell you what's going on, but you haven't given me a chance."

"…..sorry." Tifa replied, her shame causing color to flood into her cheeks as she realized he was right. "I was just worried…I'm sorry. Please go on."

"I left to make a delivery," Cloud started, nodding to acknowledge her apology. Wearily, he sat down on a nearby barstool, a few feet away from Tifa, leaning back against the bar. "This is kind of a long story, so you'd better get comfortable."

Tifa sat back down on her barstool, paying close attention to his every word.

"I was on my way to drop the package off in Kalm. That's when it happened."

"What?"

"I got attacked. I…don't know what it was. Some sort of monster I have never seen before. None of us have ever seen it before. It was unusually resistant to my Materia attacks, so I had to get in close range to attack it." Cloud indicated his sword, which he'd rested on the ground against the bar. "It was….difficult. It was shaped like an arachnid with multiple legs, and it lashed out if you got too close."

Cloud's face was pensive, his eyes distant. "There was something very strange about it. I couldn't place it. Eventually, I disabled it by cutting off a couple of its legs. When it collapsed, I decapitated it."

His gaze moved to Tifa's face, an solemn expression possessing his features. "That was almost my undoing, Tifa. I had a couple of seconds to register that there were cords and wires inside the body of the thing. It was a machine, man-made. Then I heard the ticking noise, and I took off running. I didn't get far before it self-destructed. The blast caught me in the back, threw me in the air, singed my clothes. I was knocked unconscious when I landed."

Tifa realized she was leaning forward in the stool, gripping the sides so hard her knuckles were white, panic fluttering in her chest. Cloud had almost been killed by this…machine. The thought of a machine-monster terrified her. It was something Shinra would have made.

"Two days later, I woke up in Kalm. A couple travelers had found me on the road. They were kind enough to bring me and Fenrir to Kalm, to a healer. My back had scabs from the burns from the heat of the explosion. My arm was broken from the landing, and my cell phone had been crushed in the fall. I was forced to rest there for half a day by the healers. They used Materia on my arm." He was looking down at his arm, now.

"I delivered the package and then came back here, but through the long route. I didn't want to face another one of those things. I spoke to nobody. I covered my face and sword to avoid recognition, and I know I didn't call you, I'm sorry."

"But why, Cloud? Why didn't you call me? I was worried that something had happened, and obviously it did!" Tifa's worry burst through her attempt at self-control and was made obvious through her tone.

"That machine…I couldn't help but feel that it was just lying there in wait. For me. Obviously someone created it, it was resistant to Materia, and had a defense mechanism for short range attacks. It was too much of a coincidence. I was worried I was being followed or watched, and I didn't want to put you or anyone else in danger by calling." He was looking at her again, his expression closed off but a bit wary, as if he thought she was going to chew him out. "I might just be paranoid. But better safe than sorry," he finished quietly.

Tifa nodded, finally accepting why Cloud had been gone so long. Now her worry was overridden by guilt at losing her temper. He had a legitimate reason for being gone, and she had treated him like a child. That didn't mean she wasn't extremely concerned about the events that had transpired. If someone was following Cloud….that was serious, indeed.

"Sorry I didn't call, Tifa." Cloud muttered, avoiding her gaze.

"It's okay. Sorry I yelled at you," Tifa replied, searching Cloud's face for more than she was going to admit. There were a few seconds of awkward silence.

"…you were sleeping?" Cloud eventually asked.

Tifa felt her face heat up with embarrassment. She never slept on the job. The dirty dishes were piled up in the sink, and when she glanced around she saw that chairs were strewn across the floor from the more feisty customers.

"I guess I didn't get enough sleep this week," she replied, but not telling him the reason why. Cloud probably could have guessed. But Tifa felt a stab of pain as she wondered if Cloud would even /want/ to guess why she was so tired.

Cloud nodded. This was the most they had spoken in a long time, and most of it had been Cloud relating the events that had happened to him. It made Tifa sad when she thought about this. They never had lively or emotional conversations, and Tifa was usually the one doing all of the talking.

"Do you need help?" Cloud asked her.

Tifa shook her head. She didn't want any more awkward silences, and she knew Cloud's heart wouldn't be in it. Where was Cloud's heart? It obviously wasn't with her. No matter how hard Tifa tried, she couldn't be Aeris. The thought made a lump form in her throat. "I'll be fine," she muttered, but it sounded choked. "You need to get some sleep, anyways. We can worry about the machine-monster tomorrow." She turned away and headed towards the sink, so she didn't catch the concerned look on Cloud's face.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Cloud. I'm fine. Do you need anything?"

"No, all my injuries were mostly healed."

"Just rest, then," the brunette said, trying to keep the sadness from tainting her voice.

"Good night," Cloud muttered, sounding confused, then turned and began to head upstairs.

"Cloud?"

He paused, but didn't turn around.

"What are you going to do?" She didn't need to elaborate on the question.

"I don't know. Lie low for a while, maybe see if Barret or Vincent can find out anything about who would have the money and capabilities of creating something like that. I'll be looking here." He turned around, his face unreadable. "You be careful, too."

Tifa nodded, then sighed. "Good night." She turned on the water, picked up a glass, and began to scrub it with the wet rag from the counter. After Cloud's footsteps faded away, Tifa let her mind wander again.

Each day began differently, but they all ended the same. Tifa always looked to Cloud for something he would never give, and Cloud was always going to be oblivious to it all. But Tifa loved him too much to give up on him. It was sad, how she could stay so devoted to one person. She didn't know exactly how this was all going to turn out, but after hearing his story, she would make sure and be extra aware of everything around her. She would follow Cloud to the end of the Planet, even if he were searching for someone she could never be.

It was late, and Tifa was still tired. She continued to wash the dishes and prepare the bar for the customers that would come in the next day. She hoped she'd have time to finish the cleaning, sleep for several hours, and get some errands done before the bar opened at five o'clock. What time was it now, anyways?

Cloud was distant, quiet, unemotional, and a great fighter. He had many faults, but even through all that, Tifa still loved him. She had tried to talk herself out of it many a time. 'Just look how he makes me feel, when instead of me, he sees a beautiful girl with long, braided hair, praying to save the Planet,' Tifa thought to herself, but this only succeeded in making her more miserable. She was always like this, going through stages of self pity, anger, and desperation. Her love for Cloud was eroding away at her personality. Barret had noticed it, and commented on it the last time he was with her.

**xxx**

/'Hey, Teef, Spiky ain't givin' you a hard time, is he?'

'Of course not, Barret.'

'Don't lie to me, Teef. You know damn well that I can tell if somethin's wrong with ya.'

Tifa had avoided Barret's searching gaze at this point.

'Just remember, Spiky's always been like this. A complete asshole. But he'll come aroun', just wait an' see.'/

**xxx**

Tifa had been embarrassed that her feelings for Cloud were so obvious, to everyone except Cloud himself. But Barret did know her very well.

Sighing, Tifa broke out of her reverie as she finished cleaning the last glass, and decided to straighten up the tables and chairs before she went to bed. Normally, she was done hours before this, but waiting for Cloud had messed everything up.

As Tifa began to stack the chairs she came to a conclusion, one that she would make sure to hide from everyone else, no matter the cost.

Despite the fact that her routine this week had been broken due to Cloud's absence, her heart was in a far worse condition, and she knew it may be that way for a long time.

**Post-chapter notes: **I UPDATED THIS CHAPTER 8/2011.

Please read and review. This chapter took me a long time. I had to set up the story, you know. I hope you liked the Tifa/Cloud dialogue, I tried my best to keep them in character. If you think anything is OOC or if I made a mistake of some sort, please let me know. Thanks!


	2. Expectations

Author's Note: I do not own Final Fantasy nor any of its characters (still).

**Author's Notes: **Well, I knew what I wanted to do with this chapter, I just wasn't exactly sure how to do it. But I think I came up with something that will work. Sorry, I know that was a bit vague. I'm in a strange mood today

Anyways, read on!

**Amaranthine**

Chapter Two: Expectations

Tifa woke up early the next morning, right as the sun rose above the horizon. Years ago, she had to use an alarm clock to be able to wake up this early. However, now she had woken up at this hour so many times that even when she was exhausted Tifa wasn't able to sleep late.

It also helped that when the sun rose, a ray of light came directly through the window and fell right on Tifa's eyes, making it impossible to sleep any later unless she covered the window up.

But she still prided herself on being able to wake up early, regardless.

Sighing and rubbing her eyes, the barmaid slowly sat up. She had slept fairly well last night, but exhaustion still hung at the corners of her vision. At least Cloud was home now. Thinking of him caused Tifa to look across the room, where he was sleeping on the other bed. His back was turned to her, and as she watched he stirred slightly. Cloud always slept with his back to the window, so his sleep wouldn't be disturbed by the sunlight. But Cloud didn't need to wake up as early as Tifa did.

She didn't actually open the bar at this time. Seventh Heaven didn't serve breakfast or lunch, not opening until five, and they closed at two in the morning, or one if they were slow.

Tifa usually ran errands, or went outside and walked through Edge, just to give herself some alone time to think before a hectic evening. Today, though, Tifa didn't really feel like walking. She shot another glance over at Cloud, gaze softening as it always did when she saw the blonde. Sighing again, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, stretching.

Walking over to the window, Tifa's breath caught in her throat. It was times like this that one could forget how terrible the ruins of Midgar really were. The sunlight lit everything up, giving an ethereal glow to the things outside. A few people wandered in the streets. It almost looked…peaceful. A couple of years ago, Tifa would have laughed if someone told her that this place could be peaceful. But now, she would almost be able to understand what they were talking about.

"Tifa." Came a voice from behind her.

Tifa spun around, blinking in surprise as her gaze fell on Cloud. Why was he up so early? Occasionally, he got up as early as she did, but usually that was only when he left to make deliveries. He should have been exhausted enough to sleep through half of the day.

"You're up early," she said, giving a small smile.

"I guess I got enough sleep in Kalm," He said.

"It's almost…pretty," Tifa murmured, turning to look out the window again. After a moment, she backed away from the window and sat on the bed to give Cloud room. "Come look."

Cloud walked around the bed and stood in front of the window, his gaze taking in everything that Tifa had seen earlier. As he did so, Tifa couldn't help but look at him. He was so…handsome. He had those pretty blue eyes and spiky blonde hair that made him recognizable from a distance. His skin was flawless, and when he gave one of his rare smiles Tifa thought her heart would melt.

It reminded Tifa of Aeris, kneeling on the altar, her perfect face lit up as she prayed to save humanity, green eyes staring into Cloud with an emotion Tifa didn't want to recognize. Just like that, Tifa had ruined the moment.

She stood up abruptly. "I'm going to get breakfast," she muttered and quickly walked around Cloud and out of the room. Cloud turned around, puzzled. What was with Tifa, lately? One moment she would be smiling and the next, she looked like she was on the verge of crying. Shaking his head, he followed her out of the room.

Tifa was angry with herself as she walked down the stairs. She was drowning in self-pity, something she had always been told not to do. She had been doing this a lot lately, and it was making her seem weaker than she really was. Yes, she loved Cloud. Yes, she was jealous of Aeris. But these emotions shouldn't have gotten in her way, or they were going to start affecting others as well.

Taking a deep breath, Tifa paused by the door. "I'm going to go down the street to the bakery. Do you want to come?" She was slightly surprised when Cloud nodded. They rarely went anywhere together. Usually Cloud just had her bring him something to eat.

The two exited the bar, blinking in the bright sunlight. A couple of children were playing across the street. The older one, a boy with blonde hair, turned and stared at them.

"Look, Abby, it's Cloud! He has the same hair color as me!" The boy puffed up his chest and looked proud of himself.

"You're so lucky!" The little brunette, Abby, turned and stared with him. "But look! /She/ has the same hair color as /me/!"

"Cloud is cooler." The boy replied.

"No he's not!"

"Yes he is!"

"No he isn't!"

The two began to get in a very heated argument. Chuckling, Tifa shook her head. Even this long after Meteor and the Geostigma outbreak, AVALANCHE was still famous, especially Cloud. He was a hero. A spiky, blonde-haired, huge-sword-carrying hero.

They walked along the sidewalk in silence, Tifa just enjoying the morning. After a couple of minutes, they arrived at the bakery. This was Tifa's favorite place to get breakfast. They had muffins, cinnamon rolls, and the best banana bread Tifa had ever tasted.

A tinkling bell accompanied their arrival, and the man behind the counter looked up. "Welcome to Sunrise Bakery. May I help you?" His eyes widened as he recognized Tifa and Cloud, and his gaze lingered on Tifa a moment longer than was absolutely necessary.

Cloud appeared not to notice this, and Tifa ignored it as well, making her way over to the counter. "Yes, please. I'd like a blueberry muffin. Cloud?"

"The same."

"Okay!" The man, who was probably in his late twenties, rang up their order, and Cloud paid for their breakfast. Tifa noticed that he had a rather sizeable bag of gil. Apparently, the delivery service was really paying off.

"Do you want them for here or to go?" The worker asked, still looking at Tifa.

"Umm.." She glanced at Cloud, who shrugged, glancing around the interior of the bakery. "For here."

"Here you go. Have a wonderful afternoon." The man flashed Tifa a grin. Cloud started to walk off, but Tifa reached out for a couple napkins, giving the man an opportunity to speak to her. "So, you're Tifa Lockhart, right?"

"Yes," Tifa replied politely.

"I'm Robert." He grinned again cheekily.

"Nice to meet you, Robert." Tifa was faintly uncomfortable. It wasn't that this had never happened before, but usually men didn't talk to her while Cloud was around. Cloud was staring at her over his shoulder, finally picking up on what was going on.

"Wow." Robert said, staring at her face, "The rumors about you are true!" Tifa was blushing. What was up with this guy? He was more daring than most men.

"Come on, Tifa, let's get a table," Cloud broke in, sounding slightly irritated.

"Hey, if the lady wants to talk to me, then let her." Robert turned to Cloud coolly, though he seemed a bit put-off by Cloud's presence.

"She came here to eat, not to chat with the workers." Cloud replied, matching his tone.

"What's wrong with chatting a pretty girl up every now and again?"

"You're getting paid to serve customers," Cloud said, his tone still cold, indicating with his head the line of impatient customers that was forming.

"I was serving her, and I couldn't help but notice that she's beautiful," Robert glanced at Tifa, then back at Cloud." I don't see /you/ making a move."

Tifa's face turned bright red at that comment, and she hastily spoke up before Cloud could. "Well, it was nice talking to you Robert, but this muffin is just begging to be eaten." She managed to keep her voice polite, and she turned and walked off before Robert could argue. Cloud shot the man a look before turning and following her.

Tifa sat down at a table a little ways away, feeling flustered. Cloud sat down opposite her and began eating quietly. Without looking at him, Tifa started on her muffin, hoping he wouldn't press the subject. Luckily for her, something caught Cloud's attention just over her left shoulder.

"Will you hand me that newspaper?" He asked.

Tifa turned around, grabbing it off of the counter and handing it to him. As she did, she caught a glimpse of the headline, "New Company Buys Yet Another Weapons Store."

Tifa's stomach fluttered uncomfortably. New company? Instantly, images of Mako reactors and Shinra soldiers popped into her head. Feeling sick, she pushed her muffin away, hoping she was overreacting. Cloud appeared to be thinking the same thing. His blue eyes were narrowed, and he began to read the article aloud, quickly, Tifa leaning forward to listen.

"We are now witnessing the uprising of a new and prosperous company, named Lito. Lito has been buying other companies for months now. The company appears to be interested in all sorts of industries. They have bought out weapon stores, a large portion of the Gold Saucer, dozens of Materia sellers worldwide, and many other small businesses, including those in the food and energy industries. We spoke with the owner of the company, Andryl Lito, just the other day, asking him what exactly he plans on doing with the company.

"As I'm sure you all know, my father owned Lito before me," Lito says. "Back then, we had little influence. My father saved all of his money, never spending any of it to help improve the company. Well, now I am changing the course of things. I hope to make Lito a name that everyone can remember."

When asked what he would do afterwards, Andryl replied, "We would make the Planet a more convenient and easy place to live. Not like Shinra, no. Lito will lower the prices of almost everything, and our stores will never run out of whatever supplies they carry. We're hoping to provide a new and more convenient energy source for the world to run on. Shinra controlled the world with fear. They were a dangerous company. We're going to earn the respect of the people, not demand it."

Well, it appears that Lito is doing just that. Many people have already gone to work for the company, and stores are being established in almost every town under Lito's name. Will the company ever become as powerful as Shinra? If they do, we can only hope they will run things differently."

Cloud finished, then looked up at Tifa, a stony expression on his face. "There's more, but that's the gist of it. What do you make of that?" He asked.

"He acts like it's not going to be anything like Shinra, but that sounds like how Shinra was when they started out. And what's this about a 'new energy source'?"

Cloud shook his head. "I want to investigate this. How do they have enough money to buy out all the stores?" He mused, almost to himself. "If this Andryl Lito's company is nothing like Shinra, it will be fine. But if it's going to turn into another Planet-wide corporation, we're going to have to make sure they don't establish control over everything."

"Surely everyone would have learned by now," Tifa said, but she wasn't putting all of her faith behind that statement.

That night, Tifa was rinsing off the dirty glasses, lost in thought. It was about one, and the last customer had wandered out of the doorway just moments before. Surprisingly enough, Seventh Heaven hadn't been very busy, but Tifa was grateful for the respite. She just wanted to catch up on her sleep and take advantage of Cloud still being there.

He seemed very disturbed about the newspaper article they had read that morning. Tifa couldn't blame him for being cautious, but he had been running around all day, collecting newspapers from the past week to see if there was anything suspicious. He had called Vincent, Cid, and Barret, trying to find out if they knew anything about Lito. Cloud was verging on the brink of paranoia about this whole thing.

But didn't they /need/ someone who was going to be paranoid? Everybody else would probably just allow the company to take over without complaint. But still, Tifa admitted that Cloud needed to give it a rest for a while. The company wasn't that powerful, yet.

The sound of footsteps down the stairs announced Cloud's presence. Tifa turned to greet him, her smile turning to a frown as she saw that he was giving her the /look/. The one he always gave her right before he left. But he couldn't be leaving now, could he? He had just gotten back last night! And he had almost been killed last time! He had promised her he was going to lie low for a while, and here he was, looking defiant, determined, and a little bit guilty as he always did before he left.

"Tifa…" Cloud began, noticing her expression.

"Yes, Cloud?" Tifa said, trying her best to sound happy until she knew for sure that he was leaving.

"I'm going to Kalm in the morning. They have a library there, and I want to look up on everything that has to do with Lito. And then I got a call to make another delivery, this time to Junon. I might be gone a while," Cloud muttered, avoiding her gaze.

Tifa felt anger immediately begin to boil up inside of her. So he was leaving again.

Cloud, noticing how thick the silence had become, looked up at her. "Sorry. I just want to find out more about Lito, and the delivery I'm making will pay well. I want to stop by the church before I leave, which is why I'm getting up so early."

Tifa looked away, her frustration bringing a red tinge to her cheeks. So he was going to Aeris' church, too. She should've known that Aeris would be the first one he'd turn to when he was worried about something.

"Tifa…?"

Tifa was barely controlling herself. "It's fine, Cloud. Even if it wasn't fine you'd still go, wouldn't you?"

"Well, I…"

"You're always leaving. Would it kill you just to stay here for a couple of days? Sure, I know you're making good money, but what happened to your childhood friend? I guess it's not important to you."

"What? It's important to me!"

Tifa's temper threatened to snap. All of this…it just had to end. She had followed after Cloud for so long, her heart was broken because of him. He always left her, he didn't care for her, and yet she stayed, always waiting for him to come back. She would always love Cloud, but right now her anger overcame all of her other emotions. And in her anger, she didn't even think twice about her next words.

"Don't lie, Cloud! You never really saw what it did to Marlene and Denzel, what it did to me, did you?"

Cloud looked confused, which only served to increase Tifa's irritation. "I don't-"

"Know what I'm talking about, of course you don't, even though you say we're your family."

"I don't know what's gotten into you," He said quietly, a defensive edge to his voice.

"You're always gone, chasing after Aeris. I know how you must feel about her, but she's gone, Cloud!"

"What? What…you…Aeris has nothing to do with this!" Cloud said, his voice rising ever so slightly, but Tifa was already beginning a rampage, the strain from the last week catching up to her.

"I guess I was never good enough for you. I couldn't come out and say how I felt about you, because Aeris always got there first."

Cloud was staring at her now in complete disbelief, blue eyes wide, but before he could reply, Tifa continued.

"Well, Cloud, you were always oblivious to my feelings for you. I used to have all of these expectations…things that would happen once we got older. Remember the promise?"

She ignored his wide eyes, his speechless expression. "I expected you to realize who you truly were. I expected you to feel the same way as I do. I guess I was stupid, but it doesn't matter anymore. Just go after her. Make your deliveries. Leave me. I don't care." The last sentence was a complete lie, because Tifa did care, very much. But now she was blind to everything, blind to the fact that she had basically confessed to Cloud she cared him as more than a friend, after all of these years.

Without another word, the brunette brushed past Cloud and strode towards the entrance to the bar. Cloud appeared to just now have recovered from her words, because he was opening his mouth to speak, but Tifa cut him off.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning. But you won't know, because you'll be gone. Don't follow me, Cloud."

She yanked open the door and stepped out into the dark street.

"Tifa! Wait!" Cloud was calling after her, walking towards her, but Tifa slammed the door in his face, then broke into a run. She had lost control, something Zangan had always told her not to do, but she didn't care. Everyone snapped sometime. She had expected too much out of Cloud. She needed to cool off, to think over the repercussions of her actions. Tifa knew that she would soon feel guilty and foolish, but for now she just needed to let her anger simmer.

Picking up her pace, the barmaid vanished into the darkness, leaving Cloud standing in the doorway, alone.

**Author's Notes: **UPDATED 8/2011

Well, this took way longer than it should have. I hoped you liked that chapter, though. We begin to see the barest hint of a plot. And Tifa finally snaps, and tells Cloud how she feels! Review please, tell me what you think.


	3. Nightmares and Strangers

I STILL don't own Final Fantasy. :(

**Author's Notes: **CHAPTER UPDATED 8/2011

Well this is pathetic. I haven't updated in a year. Sorry guys! I kinda just…forgot about it. But now that I've read back over this story and added more to it, I remember exactly where I was going to go with it. So I should be updating more! Read and Review!

Also, as you can see, I've changed the title. I think this title has a much better ring to it. (:

**Amaranthine**

Chapter Three: Nightmares and Strangers

"What was I thinking?" Tifa muttered to herself as she finally slowed her pace to a fast walk instead of a run. She was panting, not just from the exertion but also from the realization of what she had just done. After all of the painful years of hiding her feelings away, she had admitted her feelings for Cloud. To his face. But it hadn't exactly occurred the way she had planned. She had snapped at him and thrown a temper tantrum, which was very unlike her in the first place.

But running away? That was a cowardly thing to do. She should have stayed and waited for Cloud's reaction, and accepted the consequences for her actions. But all of the fear, frustration, and anxiety had built up until she could no longer control her emotions. Her friends saw her as the smiling face of the group, the leader when Cloud wasn't around. They had depended on her during times of crisis to keep a cool head and reassure them all. Even though the days of Shinra and Sephiroth were over, she still had a duty to her friends. But how could she fulfill this duty if she couldn't even control herself?

If an outsider had been aware of the current situation, they would have thought that Tifa was being too hard on herself. The situation had been instigated by Cloud, not Tifa. Yet she always turned the blame on herself. Tifa had a habit of taking the burdens of others upon her shoulders, and shoving her own burdens deep inside of her, to bring up another time. Under her kind and calm exterior, she was a fragile individual. However, Tifa always ignored this fact, though she was aware of it, and still tried to make everything seem like it was her own fault.

Which was exactly what she was doing now.

However, before she could think any more on the subject, Tifa came to a realization: she was not in a good part of town. She had run quite a ways from Seventh Heaven, and now walked down a dark and lonely street on the other side of Edge. The crime rate in Edge had gone down significantly over the last year or two, but there were dangers anywhere. Tifa could take care of herself, of course, but she was still a young woman, out on the street alone. She couldn't sleep out here. Fortunately, as Tifa thought about it, she remembered that Edge contained a couple of inns, fairly new establishments, and one of them was close by. She could just head there for the night.

With this new purpose in mind, the brunette changed direction and crossed the street, glancing over her shoulder every now and again to make sure nobody was watching her. Of course, she was just being paranoid, but it was good to be extra cautious while in Edge. Her mind didn't stay on the subject of safety for long, however. As she walked towards the inn, her thoughts strayed to her current predicament. Cloud. What to do? She was embarrassed and angry with herself for telling him the truth. Had she imagined the look of horror in his eyes after she told him? It had probably been a bad idea to bring up Aeris. Once again, just thinking about the beautiful Ancient lowered Tifa's spirits, and she blinked rapidly so her eyes wouldn't begin to water. She tried to cry as little as possible: it was something Zangan had always discouraged.

**xxx**

/ 'Why are you crying?'

Her training master looked at her, eyes narrowed. His face, framed by a beard and dark eyebrows, was stern.

Young Tifa sat on the ground, a single tear running down her face due to frustration.

'I can't get this stupid combination down! Every time I try it, you just knock my feet out from under me again!' She blinked a few times, trying to clear the water from her eyes.

'And how will crying help to solve the problem?' Zangan continued to look at her, his expression now unreadable. Tifa knew that he was putting her through a test, though a verbal one instead of a physical one.

'I don't know! But it isn't hurting anything!' Her frustration made her irritable, and this remark came out sharper than she meant it to be. Her rudeness, however, was largely ignored by Zangan.

'So it does virtually nothing, then. You are wasting your energy by crying. Do you think the enemy is going to hesitate if they see tears in those pretty eyes of yours? No. They will push on relentlessly, and you could get injured or killed as a result. So push your emotions inside of you for a later time.'

'I'm a girl. I'm supposed to show my emotions,' Tifa muttered darkly, avoiding his eyes.

Zangan stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment. 'When you came to me a few months ago, Tifa, you promised to work hard. You promised that you would keep your feelings aside while learning the art of hand-to-hand combat. I have drilled this lesson into your head many times: do NOT lose control over yourself while fighting. Losing your temper does not demonstrate strength, but only a lack of self-restraint.'

Tifa was quiet for a few seconds, and then slowly met his eyes again.

'Now are you with me, Tifa? Stand up.'

Tifa stared up at him for a moment, then slowly stood up. He was right, and she knew it. Although she didn't admit it out loud, it was then that she made the decision to try and refrain from crying whenever possible. Zangan smiled slightly.

'Come on, now. Let's try the combination again, and then we'll go eat lunch.' /

**xxx**

By the time Tifa snapped out of her reverie, she was standing at the entrance to the inn, which just so happened to be titled "Cloud Nine."

"Oh, that's ironic. Wonderful, just wonderful!" The barmaid muttered darkly. Naturally, even the title of the inn helped bring up the painful problem she was dealing with. Well, regardless of the fact that the inn was named after a spiky blonde problem, Tifa went inside.

It was cozy and well kept. That was good, at least. There was only one lonely person dozing on a couch in the lobby, and the woman at the front desk looked bored. Of course, it was pretty late, so Tifa would have been surprised to see a crowded lobby, even at a nice inn like this. Tifa strode over to the front desk, where a redhead wearing too much makeup looked her up and down a little rudely. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I would like one room for the night, please."

"Just tonight?" The redhead asked, and Tifa nodded. "Do you want a single bed?" Tifa nodded again.

"All right, that will be 50 gil please."

Tifa dug into her pocket, glad that she always kept her moneybag on hand. Her phone, however, was conveniently left on the charger back at the bar. She hadn't thought that one through.

After giving the money to the desk manager, she glanced around the inn as the redhead got her room key ready. For some strange reason, Tifa felt uneasy. There was no possible reason for her to feel this way, but she had an uncomfortable feeling that was causing the prickling sensation on the back of her neck. Without thinking, she began to clench and unclench her fists.

"…Ma'am?"

Tifa turned at the sound of the woman's voice. "Sorry!" The brunette exclaimed, smiling apologetically. The redhead did not smile; she handed Tifa her key coolly. "Enjoy your stay here at Cloud Nine. We serve breakfast until 9:30 a.m. in the dining room, which is that way." She pointed down a short hall, where Tifa could see a set of double doors. "If you need anything, just ring the desk. We have people working the night shift, so you can get whatever you need."

Though the words were polite enough, the woman's voice was flat and monotone. Tifa nodded.

"Your room is upstairs, second room on the right."

"Thank you!" Tifa exclaimed, then turned and headed for her room. She glanced around the lobby once more with unease before beginning to climb the stairs.

"I'm just tired. I need sleep. I'm paranoid because of earlier," she reassured herself quietly as she reached her door. Sliding her key in and out of the slot, Tifa stepped inside her room and shut the door behind her, latching it just in case. Her room was tidy and clean, just like the rest of the hotel. It consisted of a small bathroom with a shower off to Tifa's right, a single bed with a dresser nearby, and a tiny couch facing a medium-sized television. There was only one window, on the far side of the room. Her room was a little bit warm, but overall it was perfect for Tifa.

She took a shower first, lamenting the fact that she hadn't brought clean clothes. She attempted to scrub her worry and shame away as she let the warm water run down her body. The hotel soap was rubbery and slid from her grasp numerous times, and eventually she just gave it up and sat down in the tub, letting the water run in rivulets down her body. After she felt like she had wasted enough hot water, Tifa got out and dried herself thoroughly, cringing a bit when she put her old clothes back on.

Forcing herself not to think of Cloud at all, Tifa turned off the light and slid under the covers of the bed, flipping on the television as she did so. She felt a bit worried not having her phone on hand. She wouldn't need it, right?

As the blue light from the television filled the room, exhaustion and stress started to take its toll on Tifa. The martial artist's eyes began to droop, until she fell into a deep slumber, her thoughts drifting towards Cloud again. She did not see the shadow pass by the window.

**xxx**

_When Tifa opened her eyes, some internal instinct instantly told her that she was dreaming. However, this was unlike any dream she had ever had before. She was resting flat on her back on something soft, and when she sat up, she realized it was a bed of flowers._

_Aeris?_

_Tifa sensed the presence of the Ancient. This was unusual. Tifa had dreamt of her before, but in her dreams she had only caught fleeting glimpses of Aeris, and now she felt as if the flower girl were standing right behind her. However, when Tifa turned to look, she could only see the flowers, which stretched on endlessly until they seemed to blend in with the horizon._

_But…something was wrong. Flowers symbolized beauty, peace, and tranquility, but there was no feeling of calm here. The air almost seemed to be tainted with something evil, and when Tifa looked down at the flowers, she realized they were wilting beneath her. Alarmed, the brunette quickly stood up, brushing herself off as she did so. It was then that the sound of faint laughter reached Tifa's ears, and as she listened, the laughter grew slightly louder. It was not the happy, tinkling laughter that used to come from the gentle mouth of the Ancient. This laughter was hollow and hysterical, and a faint sense of insanity came with the jumbling notes._

_A faint image flickered into focus about twenty feet in front of Tifa. The barmaid cautiously walked forward, relaxing when she caught sight of the familiar pink dress and long brown hair._

"_Aeris!" Tifa called, a feeling of joy flooding her as she realized that now might be her chance to talk to the flower girl face-to-face for the first time since her death. Of course, there was always the possibility that this was just a dream, and Aeris wasn't really there. However, Tifa instantly pushed that thought aside; this was too vivid to be just a dream. Aeris looked the same as she always had, with fair skin, pink lips, and vivid green eyes. She was beautiful even after death._

_As she began to walk towards Aeris, the Ancient's image seemed to flicker and fade slightly. Tifa suddenly stopped, puzzled. The laughter had stopped as Aeris appeared. Aeris' flawless face was smooth and beautiful as ever, but her eyes were hollow and cold, her expression a stiff mask. It unnerved Tifa and she cautiously eyed the slender figure, now just a few yards in front of her. She didn't like what she saw._

"_Aeris…what's wrong? You don't look right. This place…it can't be the Lifestream, can it? Because…" Her voice trailed away as the laughter stopped and Aeris shook her head slowly, slender braids following the movement._

"_T-Tifa…" Without warning, Aeris swayed, face draining of all color. She fell to her knees with a strangled cry, and Tifa dashed over to her. But as the barmaid drew close enough to touch her, Aeris threw up her hand, signaling Tifa to stop._

"_D-don't come near me…the Lifestream…is c-corrupted, which means I am t-too…"_

_Tifa gasped, taking an involuntary step back, though a large part of her still wanted to help Aeris in some way. The Ancient was still on her knees, and now Tifa could see that the air around her was slightly darker than the air everywhere else. Aeris' image had stopped flickering, but she seemed drawn and ill, and the darkness around her distorted her beauty._

"_Corrupted? How? Aeris, you need help!"_

_The Ancient's emerald eyes slowly fixated on Tifa's face._

"_Help? I'm already dead." She now spoke in a raspy whisper that Tifa had never heard her use before. Aeris' mindless gaze was still fixed on Tifa, but the Ancient appeared to be searching for something other than the barmaid. Tifa tensed, eyes flashing with worry and guilt._

"_No, nobody can help me now. They have already started, and won't easily be stopped," Aeris continued._

"_What? Who has started what?" Tifa asked urgently, disregarding her unease and kneeling by the other woman. She timidly reached out a hand and placed it on the Ancient's shoulder. As she did so, Aeris jerked slightly, and pain suddenly shot up Tifa's arm. Yelling, she let go of Aeris and scrambled backwards, crushing some of the dying flowers. As Tifa clutched her arm, the pain slowly faded, leaving her panting._

_Aeris was shaking now, and she slowly raised her gaze to meet Tifa's. Tifa saw a whirlwind of emotions there in the emerald depts, and a dark, flickering light that caused worry to flare up in her heart. When the flower girl spoke, it was in her normal voice again._

"_N-no…you can't save me anymore…but w-warn the others. They must s-stop corrupting the Lifestream…or the P-Planet will collapse. Please, T-Tifa…"_

"_Who, Aeris?" Tifa was nearly hysterical now. "Who is corrupting the Lifestream?"_

_But as Aeris opened her mouth to speak, she suddenly stopped, eyes staring at something Tifa couldn't see. She shook uncontrollably for a second more, and her image vanished. Tifa sensed something behind her, and she spun around, jerking awake from her deep slumber as she did so._

**xxx**

Tifa was not alone.

She became immediately aware of this fact when she woke, sweat-drenched, from her nightmare. It was due to her honed martial-artist senses that she could detect the presence of someone else in her room, and she mentally thanked Zangan for working her so hard.

Sitting up cautiously, Tifa glanced around the room, heart fluttering nervously. She cursed inwardly when she realized that her TV had been turned off and the window…something was in front of the window, mostly blocking out the light of the partial moon. The room could almost be considered pitch-black, which prevented her from spotting the intruder. Tifa also wasn't wearing her fighting gloves, which was unfortunate. She felt weaker without them. Tifa could hear a quiet shuffling in the corner of her room, and her palms began to sweat. Did the intruder know she was awake? Surely they did; it was a small room, and Tifa hadn't woken up very quietly.

A whistling sound abruptly cut off her train of thought. Moving quicker than lightning, Tifa leapt out of bed, and not a moment too soon. As she moved, something whizzed over her head and crashed into the wall with a dull thud. Tifa landed in a crouch, and then stood up, raising her fists as she tried to pinpoint her attacker.

There! Tifa heard movement off to her left. She threw herself in that direction, twisting her body and aiming a powerful roundhouse kick at her attacker. She was rewarded when her leg collided with something relatively soft, and Tifa heard a muffled curse. Before the intruder had time to counter, Tifa followed through with a flurry of punches, each one connecting solidly with its mark until her opponent dropped like a stone. Tifa only had a second to wipe her forehead, however, when she heard other noises from behind her.

More attackers? They must have gotten in through the window while she was sleeping, and then covered it to make it difficult for her to find them. One of them was standing directly below the window, but there was only a tiny sliver of light for Tifa to see part of the intruder's outline. Her fallen opponent's grunts and muffled exclamations had already assured her that he was a human male, and this opponent looked to be male as well, judging by his height. Her attention was diverted from the man below the window, however, when something crashed painfully into her side, throwing her to the ground.

Tifa rolled with the impact, springing to her feet and ducking instinctively to avoid another punch. How many of them were there? She lunged forward angrily, colliding with the third man and tackling him powerfully to the ground. As she drew back for a kick to his ribs, however, something caught her between the shoulder blades and she crashed into the wall face-first. Gasping, she threw herself directly backwards and collided with her attacker, unbalancing him. Tifa spun around just in time to catch a blow to the stomach, and she bent over in agony. Her nose was starting to bleed. Something grabbed her around the neck and pushed her against the wall, holding her there as she struggled to breathe.

Anger boiled deep inside Tifa. She didn't know how many people were attacking her, but it wasn't a fair fight. Not only did they have the element of surprise, they were bigger than her and outnumbered her, too. This anger brought new energy rushing into Tifa, and she brought her knee up sharply, aiming for the spot that she knew would bring excruciating pain to any member of the male species.

Her assailant released his chokehold on her, swearing explosively. Based on where the sound came from, Tifa aimed a sharp uppercut at the man, catching him in the jaw. She felt him crumple to the ground in front of her.

Tifa was sweating from exertion, blood trickling down her face from her nose, and she could feel a bruise blossoming on her stomach. However, she knew that she hadn't gotten rid of all of her attackers yet. She shoved away from the wall and spun around, falling into her fighting stance again. Detecting movement to her right, Tifa swung a powerful punch, but missed. A foot collided with her thigh, and she scrambled backwards, bringing her arms up protectively just in time to block a punch. She countered with a series of short jabs, but each jab was blocked by her opponent. She aimed a low kick and felt the man move to avoid it, but it just barely caught him enough to cause him to stumble. Tifa seized the opportunity and lunged forward, using her momentum to catch the man off-balance and slam his back into the wall. Grabbing his forehead with both hands, she smashed the back of his head hard enough against the wall to knock him out, and stepped back as he fell. Just as she was turning around, however, a sound made her stop dead in her tracks.

The light in her room flickered on, and the scene before her was revealed. A man stood not ten feet from her, two guns pointed straight at Tifa. She hadn't been mistaken when she thought she heard guns being loaded. Another man stood across her room by the light switch, and he was staring at Tifa contemptuously. Three men lay motionless on the ground, including the one she had just finished off. It had been a five-on-one contest and only two men were left, but Tifa knew she couldn't move quickly enough to attack the man with the guns without being shot. She stared at him warily.

He was unfamiliar to her, with black hair to his shoulders and dark eyes. He was of medium height and build, but muscular. His cunning face was handsome, though Tifa found the cruelty in his gaze repulsive. She had no doubt that he knew how to use those guns well. The other man was taller with lighter hair, but Tifa did not feel near as threatened by him, so her gaze remained fixed on the first man.

"Well, well, well. We meet at last, Tifa Lockhart." The man's voice was deep, and laced with an arrogance that Tifa despised. Her angry glare remained fixed on the guns. He glanced at her bloody face contemptuously.

"I have to admit, I had been told that you were…adept at hand-to-hand combat. But you surpassed even my expectations. Of course, you are outmatched now." He smirked, and Tifa clenched her fists angrily.

"What do you want with me?" She snapped.

"We want you to accompany us, actually. My boss has ordered that we bring you to him. I guess that he thinks you will be useful in some way." He smiled at her, displaying white teeth, but it looked like a predator's grin.

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll pass," the barmaid replied coolly.

"Did I mention that your attendance is…required? You don't have a choice."

Tifa narrowed her eyes, impatiently swiping at her nose, which was still bleeding. She knew he had the upper hand, but there was no way she was going to consent to going with him. "What if I don't cooperate?" She knew what he was going to say before he said it.

"We'll kill you."

Tifa wasn't entirely sure if he would follow through with the threat, but she decided not to test him. A plan began to formulate in her mind. Maybe if she kept him talking, Cloud would miraculously show up and get her out of this mess.

Cloud…just thinking about him brought a rush of guilt and embarrassment. He wouldn't follow her to Cloud Nine, he didn't care enough for her to do that. He was probably looking for Aeris in this exact moment, not Tifa. She knew her thinking that he would be a hero and come rescue her was ridiculous, the product of desperation.

"Should I repeat myself?"

The man's deep voice jerked her back to reality. She flushed slightly. How could she let her mind wander at a time like this? Her _life_ was in danger! She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear angrily, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't get her killed.

"Why does your boss want to see me?" She asked, trying to sound calm while ignoring his question.

The man smiled again. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough." He narrowed his eyes for a moment, thoughtful. "Now, I believe it is time to go."

Tifa tried to think of another question to ask, anything to force him to keep talking.

"Of course, we can't have you calling your friends or knowing where we're taking you. So I'm afraid that you will be unconscious for this trip." He winked at her slyly.

Fear caused Tifa's stomach to drop. "What-" she began, but was abruptly cut off as she felt a sharp pain in her hip. Looking down, she saw a dart sticking out of her side. Angrily, she pulled it out, examining it. It was covered in some sort of unfamiliar substance. Pressing one hand to the stinging wound and clutching the dart in the other, Tifa slowly looked up until she spotted the source: a new intruder had snuck in behind her, and had come up close enough to shoot her while she was talking to the gunman. He must have been hiding behind the bed, or couch…Tifa frowned angrily. The whole time she had been trying to divert the man, and he had been the one diverting _her_. However, this trail of thought wasn't pursued much longer. The room began to blur in front of Tifa, and drowsiness overcame her. She took a few clumsy steps forward and swayed, and as she felt someone come up behind her, her knees buckled, and all was dark.


	4. Trail of Destruction

**Author's Notes: **I need more reviews, people! Reviews are what keep me going. ;D I am pretty sure that I know where this story is heading, but any plot suggestions are welcome. The more plot twists, the merrier!

**Amaranthine**

Chapter Four: Trail of Destruction

Rainbows of colors danced behind Tifa's closed eyelids. It was a mesmerizing sight, and as Tifa's mind tried to return to consciousness, the movements became more frantic, insistent: the colors seemed to be warning her to stay asleep. But another part of Tifa's mind was telling her to wake up, to know what was going on, and against the screaming protests of unconsciousness, she opened her eyes.

And immediately regretted the action, for when she returned to the waking world, all of her aches and pains assaulted her at once. She had many small bruises and sore spots, but her side hurt the worst. The wound that the sleeping dart had left behind was burning.

Wincing, Tifa gingerly sat up, glancing down to see where she had been sleeping. She was on a small cot with white sheets, and judging by the ache in her back, it was about as comfortable as sleeping on granite. The room she was being held captive in was fairly spacious, containing a cot, a sink, and a tiny bathroom stall. The walls were bare except for a window, which was blocked by iron bars, and a door. Tifa had no doubt that the door was locked from the outside. She was clothed in a baggy white t-shirt and white pants. White socks, too. She looked like a patient at a mental institution.

Tifa scowled; why was she here? It was obvious that whoever had kidnapped her wanted something from her, but what? True, she was a member of AVALANCHE, the group that had saved the Planet multiple times now. Maybe they would ask for a ransom. Guilt pricked at her insides as she realized that no matter how high the ransom was, her friends would pay it. Cloud would pay it.

How could she be so selfish? It had been stupid of her to run away. Tifa knew she had been too big of a chicken to talk to Cloud after her confession, but that was a miserable excuse for leaving. She had faced every type of monster imaginable without flinching, yet she couldn't stand up for her own feelings. And now the others would be punished for her cowardice. Tifa put her head in her hands, groaning miserably.

Just then, she heard a clicking noise from across the room. Quickly, not wanting to show any weakness in front of these people, Tifa swung her legs off of the bed and stood up, biting her lip as her body protested. The door slowly opened, and three men walked in. The first two men were big and muscular, and carried guns. Bodyguards. Another man, taller than the first two, followed. Though she was intimidated and her body ached, Tifa kept her face impassive and her expression stony as the bodyguards stood on either side of the doorway and the other man approached her.

Though he wore a suit and was well-groomed, everything about this man made Tifa uneasy. His impossible size was part of it. He was also striking, though in an unusual way. His dark hair was buzzed, and he had sharp, angular features. His eyes were such a light shade of blue that Tifa couldn't look away from his piercing gaze. The man moved with the lithe grace of a panther, stopping just a few yards from Tifa. He slowly looked her up and down, face twisted into a contemplative expression. When he spoke, his voice matched his movements: smooth, but cold, without the slightest trace of kindness in his tone.

"So, I finally meet you at last. I have to say, your picture didn't do you justice." His mouth twisted into a smirk, and Tifa swallowed. She wasn't quite sure what to make of this man. He took another step towards her, but Tifa kept her feet planted firmly in place.

"What do you want with me?" She asked, pleased that her voice didn't waver.

"Oh, but you didn't know?" His eyes widened in mock surprise. "You have no clue why we attacked you in the middle of the night and brought you here, unconscious?" His bodyguards chuckled, and Tifa felt a prickle of irritation.

"No, actually I don't."

"In case you were wondering, we kidnapped you two nights before last. You were out for two and a half days. It's early morning now." He began to pace back and forth, ignoring her earlier question completely. Tifa followed his movements with her eyes, resisting the urge to clench her fists. It would not be wise to attack him, even though the action would be completely justified on her part. Tifa could see the underlying strength beneath this man's smooth, controlled movements. There was no doubt in her mind; he was definitely a fighter.

This thought helped to calm her down, and when she spoke, she was able to keep the anger out of her voice.

"You didn't answer my question," she stated coolly.

"Hmmm…I didn't, did I?" He stopped pacing and turned to face her, a mocking smirk on his face again. Tifa could see now that she was not going to get an answer from him. She tried a different tact.

"Who are you?"

At this, the man smiled for the first time. He had a brilliant smile, and Tifa blinked, momentarily dazzled. Very striking, and very dangerous. A beautiful predator. She did not like him one bit. He reminded her of the man that had kidnapped her, the one with the guns, except this man seemed to be higher on the food chain, so to speak. And then he spoke, telling her his name, and it all made sense.

"My name is Andryl. Andryl Lito."

**xxx**

Cloud had known that something was wrong when Tifa hadn't returned the morning after she ran off. She had promised to return, hadn't she? But she had left her phone at the bar, and so there was no way for him to get a hold of her.

He had waited throughout the day and evening, getting more and more worried when she hadn't come home. It wasn't like Tifa not to contact him. And even though Cloud had tried his hardest to convince himself that nothing was wrong, he knew he was lying to himself. Something was wrong; he could feel it. First, he had almost been deliberately killed on the road. Then, Tifa hadn't come back. It was too much of a coincidence.

The night after her disappearance, Cloud had decided to go search for her. He walked the streets of the city, even knowing she was too smart to stay out there. He went to a few houses of Tifa's friends and acquaintances in the city, but none of them had seen her. He was not surprised. She was not close enough to any of them to flee there. He returned in a near panic late that night, thinking of any other options.

There were several inns in the area, and when morning came he went to each one, asking the workers if a woman that matched Tifa's description had stayed there. Nobody could give him any good information, but it had been late when Tifa had left, so it was unlikely that many people had seen her. If she had stayed at an inn, whoever had served her had been working the night shift. Cloud visited the inns during the morning. He resolved to go back at night, when the same person might be working. He returned to Seventh Heaven with no other leads on where she could possibly be.

That evening, before he returned to the inns, Cloud had called Barret. There was a small chance that she had gone to stay with him, or maybe Yuffie…yet he knew that wasn't likely. Confirming his suspicions, Barret hadn't the slightest idea where she was. And, of course, Barret wanted to know why she had run off in the first place. So Cloud had told him a vague version of the truth, and Barret had sworn he would barge into Seventh Heaven early the next morning.

Cloud had also tried calling Yuffie, but the ninja hadn't talked to Tifa, either. She had promised to be on her way as soon as she 'took care of a few things' in Wutai. Cloud didn't really want to know what she was up to. Frankly, he didn't care. He only wanted to make sure Tifa was safe. After all, wasn't it his fault that she had dashed out the front door?

After making those calls, Cloud returned to the inns. The fourth inn he came to was titled 'Cloud Nine', a name that should've brought him some sense of wry amusement, but didn't. A very bored lady at the lady thought that Tifa's picture looked familiar. She had begrudgingly let him into the room that she thought Tifa had stayed in two nights before, saying she had seen no trace of the barmaid the following morning.

He explored the room thoroughly. Nobody had stayed in there the night before, the lady had said, and housekeeping had reported nothing. When Cloud got to the bed, however, his insides turned into ice. There was a long, shallow, scratch above the bed, as if something had been thrown against the wall. Something sharp. Filled with dread, Cloud searched the rest of the room in a frenzy, his careful observation noting a small dent in the wall on the other side of the room. It could be nothing. Or someone could have been thrown into this wall.

There was nothing more to be found. She was gone. Cloud had wandered around the city all night, asking anyone he could find if they'd seen Tifa. Most people knew who she was, but he had no luck.

In the morning, Barret arrived to find a zombie-like Cloud going through papers on the bar. The two were now trying to work out a plan of action, but not getting very far.

"Dammit, Spiky! Why do you have to be such an ass all the friggin' time? Are you honestly gonna tell me that you have no idea where she is!"

Cloud met the taller man's gaze without flinching. That was the seventh time Barret had asked him that particular question, and he had given Barret the exact same answer every time.

"I really don't know where she is, Barret."

He felt the familiar surge of guilt, knowing this was all his fault, that Tifa never would have left if he wouldn't have been such an ass, never would have had to go through all of this torment that she didn't deserve. What were they doing to her?

"Will you listen when I'm talkin'? I can't be helpful if I can't even get through that damn spiky head of yours!" The dark man growled furiously, glaring. If looks could kill, Cloud knew he would no longer be standing. But although Barret put on a tough façade for the world to see, there was no doubt that he cared for Tifa deeply. He had a ferocious temper, but he would do anything in the world to make sure she was safe. That's why Cloud was secretly glad that Barret was going to help him find her.

"I was thinking," Cloud replied calmly, looking away from Barret's intense gaze, trying not to let his frustration show.

"Well next time warn me before you space out! I was standin' here mumblin' like a fool…" He continued to grumble under his breath.

"Barret, does Marlene know? That Tifa's missing?" Cloud interrupted.

"Of course not! You think I'm gonna let her in on that? Her and Denzel are at Elmyra's! I'm plannin' on keepin' them in the dark until we find out where Tifa's gone to."

Cloud nodded in response, and felt a large hand placed unexpectedly on his shoulder. He turned his head, meeting Barret's gruff expression. "I'll help you find her. But you have to fix her." With that, the big man strode off, climbing the stairs slowly and pulling out his phone as he went.

Cloud sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He hoped that they found Tifa soon. If she was hurt in any way, he would never forgive himself.

'But you hurt her more than anyone else, Cloud,' said a voice in his head icily. Cloud winced.

'I know. That's why I have to fix it,' he replied.

'But can you? What are you even going to say?'

'I'll just tell her I'm sorry. And…'

'Just like always.' The voice laughed, a mocking sound, and then faded.

Cloud gritted his teeth angrily, used to these internal arguments. Arguments that he normally lost. He knew that the voice inside his head had spoken the truth. The image of Tifa's face, contorted with pain and sadness, lingered in his mind. Each word she had spoken had stung him. How could he have been so thickheaded? How could he not have noticed that she had feelings for him?

Cloud knew the answer to that. He had been lying to himself, convincing himself that she didn't care for him, because he wasn't good enough for her. He /knew/ that he wasn't good enough for Tifa. She was full of light and laughter and encouragement. He was hung up on the past. He wanted to protect her, to give her everything he had. But that voice in his head always insisted that he wasn't strong enough to be with Tifa. He would only bring her down. So, instead, Cloud had pushed himself away, hoping that she would begin to hate him, which would be better for her.

Until a few nights ago, he hadn't realized exactly how strong her feelings ran for him. How much he had been hurting her by pushing her away. Instead of making her a better person, he had just been breaking her heart. A part of him wished that she had told him her feelings sooner. But how could she, when he had been so indifferent? Yet, he wasn't indifferent. Tifa meant more to him than any other person in the world, but he could never find the words to tell her. Even if he had found the right words, he wouldn't have told her. Because everything he loved got broken in the end. Cloud left a trail of destruction wherever he went.

**xxx**

Andryl must have seen the recognition on Tifa's face, because his smirk grew wider. "I see that you've heard the name."

Tifa nodded coldly. "You're the head of the company that's trying to make the same mistakes that Shinra did."

"Of course not! We won't make mistakes. I won't allow it." He replied calmly.

"You've already made your first mistake."

"And what was that?" Andryl tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes.

"Bringing me here." Tifa folded her arms in front of her chest, watching him with a detached expression.

"I was afraid that you might say that." He ran one large hand through his buzzed hair, sighing. "Because you believe that your hero will come rescue you, am I right?"

The words sent a wedge of ice deep into Tifa's heart, and her emotionless mask wavered slightly. Memories whispered at the corners of her mind, memories of a hometown, a well, and a starry night. Tifa knew that Andryl couldn't have known about the promise, but his choice of words was very unfortunate.

Blocking out the painful thoughts was hard, but somehow she managed to get her mind under control. "They will all come to save me."

"Ah, but that is what I want. I want them to come here. Cloud especially."

Tifa blinked, taken off guard. That was not the answer she had expected. Andryl watched her for another moment, with that infuriating smirk still on his face. "Don't you understand, Tifa? You're my bait. I am using you to bring AVALANCHE here. Let's just say that I have a special…surprise in store for them."

This time, Tifa couldn't keep a straight face. Her eyes widened in horror, and she dropped her arms to her sides, clenching her fists in fury. "What are you going to do to them?" She demanded furiously, taking a step towards Andryl. His bodyguards, standing by the doorway, bristled and made as if to walk towards her, but he stopped them with a wave of his hand.

Andryl laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. "Do you honestly think I will tell you my whole plan? I will let you watch, though. That will be very amusing for you, I'm sure. To watch your little lover-boy die at my hands. At least he'll get to join the Ancient…what was her name again?"

"Aeris! Her name was Aeris," Tifa snapped, glaring at the man as hatred threatened to overwhelm her. Not her friends…they were strong, but who knew what this psycho had in store for them. If they died because Tifa had been careless, she would never forgive herself. And Cloud…

"That's right. Aeris. He'll get to be with Aeris again. That might make you jealous, but it will make him happy, I'm sure."

Tifa realized that he was deliberately pushing her buttons. He /wanted/ her to get angry. As this thought occurred to her, Zangan's words about self-control rang in her mind. It would not do her any good to lose her temper here. Digging her nails into her palms, she tried to drown out Andryl's words as she took deep breaths.

Andryl took a few steps closer to her, until she could have touched him if she wanted to. Tifa refused to look up into his eyes; instead staring straight ahead at his chest. She was calming down now, and the fire of her anger was slowly burning out. The man took yet another step closer, until he was less than two feet from her.

Tifa felt something cold under her chin, and the next thing she knew, she was staring into the man's mesmerizing eyes. A slow smile spread across Andryl's face, and she watched him warily, aware of how close he was and the feeling of his cold hand cupping her chin. She wanted to lash out at him and punch him square in his arrogant face. Her fists itched to hit something, but her brain argued that her life was in his hands. With his bodyguards, it was three-on-one, and they had guns. Not very good odds.

"You decided to control your temper. Wise choice. I didn't want to fight you."

"But you want to kill them," Tifa muttered angrily, barely restraining the urge to kick him in a spot where it would really hurt. She tried to look away from his very blue eyes, but there was something haunting in their depths, and it was almost as if she was frozen in place.

"Yes. Yes I do want to kill them." Something had changed in his voice, and the strength of his grip on her chin tightened until it was painful. Tifa tried not to wince. "I want to kill them, but I will make them suffer first. They will suffer until their dying breath as I have suffered all these years, and as you will suffer after they do," by the end of his speech, his voice was practically a snarl, and he released his grip on Tifa, violently shoving her away from him. She tripped back and collided painfully with the wall, her bruises shrieking in pain.

"Enjoy your time here, for it is all you have left," he finished. He did not look handsome now, his face a mask of hatred. He turned and strode out the door, his bodyguards following him.

**xxx**

"What is this? A damn treasure hunt!" Barret was angry again, but his anger was justified this time.

About an hour after Barret had called Vincent, they had found the note when Cloud went out to check the mail. It was a white slip of paper. Almost immediately after they found it, Cloud realized that it must have been put there sometime in the last couple days. Which meant that the kidnappers knew their location; they knew where Cloud and Tifa lived. Perhaps they were being watched. Another reason they needed Vincent around; the dark gunman was good for those types of situations. Cloud knew that Vincent would make it to Seventh Heaven as soon as he could, but it didn't stop him from worrying. Every second they stalled was another second that Tifa spent in danger.

The note had made it official; Tifa's life was in peril.

**Find her soon, or she dies.**

Barret had been furious. For several minutes, they had just stared at the note in silence. There was nothing about it that could be identified. No familiar handwriting, and blank paper could be found anywhere. And the message was practically useless. It told them that Tifa had been kidnapped, but not where she was being held.

After they realized that they were possibly being spied on, they had moved up to the bedroom, where Barret had locked the door and window. They were now sitting across from each other at a small table, with maps spread out in front of them. The maps weren't helping much.

"How the hell're we supposed to find her if they don't give us a damn hint?" The man snapped. Cloud jumped as Barret slammed his fist down on the table, causing it to shudder.

"I don't know. But they wouldn't have left this note unless they wanted us to find her."

"But we can't find her! There's no way!"

Cloud narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "I don't think they'll kill her. Yet."

Barret's eyes bulged. "Oh, so now you know all their plans, eh? Well I'll tell you somethin'-"

"Barret, listen to me. If they were going to kill her, just like that, why bother with the note?"

"To let us know that they're gonna kill her! To hurt us!"

Cloud shook his head. "No. They just want us to hurry and find Tifa…so they don't have to wait too long. They're impatient. That's why they sent this."

"Impatient for what?"

Cloud spoke slowly and deliberately. "They don't just want Tifa…they want us too." It made sense as he said it; Cloud had been considering every facet of the kidnapping for a while, and the note had added a new dimension. That was the most plausible thing he could think of.

Barret put his head in his big hands, groaning in frustration. "So they know we're eventually gonna catch up to them…somehow…"

Cloud nodded gravely. "And they'll be waiting. It's sort of a trap."

Barret glanced up. "Looks like we have another job for AVALANCHE."

"I don't think that's such a good idea. Like I said, it's a trap. They want us for some reason. Probably not a good reason. It would be safer if I went by myself, less conspicuous…"

"Hell no, Spiky! You think I'm gonna let you go by yourself? We're gonna need all of us to track her down. All of us together can fight these bastards!"

"But if they want to kill AVALANCHE, then we're walking right into their hands," Cloud replied, slightly exasperated.

"But we know what they're plannin' to do! They don't know that we know their schemes. Listen, this isn't just about Tifa, now. If they want us out of the way, and we're the good guys, what do you think they're gonna do with the rest of the Planet? Once we're gone?" Barret demanded.

Cloud gripped the arm of the chair that he was sitting in. "I don't know," he said quietly. "But there's only a few people I can think of that would want us out of the way." Barret stared up at him, confusion clouding his expression.

"Who?"

"Remnants of Shinra, maybe. The Turks. Or someone that wants to seize control of the planet, gain limitless power without interference." Cloud spoke in a serious tone, all business-like. When it came to things like this, he became cold, efficient, and determined. He would not give up.

"Who exactly are we…" The dark man began, but Cloud cut him off.

"I've been thinking about this a lot. Have you heard about the company Lito?"

"Lito? Oh yeah, I read somethin' about them in the paper…do you think they're tryin' to kill us?"

Cloud shrugged. "If you read the article, you know they're becoming extraordinarily powerful. But, something was strange to me when I read it…you'd think that, if Lito has been growing more and more powerful for a while, we would have heard of them before, right? So why haven't we?"

Barret's eyes narrowed as he pondered this, but for once he had no answer.

Cloud stood up and began to pace. "It means that they've been keeping all their buyouts under wraps. Making sure nobody heard about them. Probably so nobody got suspicious of their wealth and power."

"But they jus' released that thing in the paper…" Barret muttered.

"Exactly. Right before Tifa was kidnapped. This may be a stretch…but it almost seems like they wanted the two things to coincide. Make us suspicious, so we'd put the pieces together and go after them. Even if it was a coincidence, there's still something suspicious about Lito being so secretive about their business. It's the only lead we've got."

"You know what? You just might be makin' sense now."

Cloud looked at him seriously. "I hope so. Because this is the only thing we have to go on. Either Lito's guilty, or someone else is framing them and wants us to go there. There's a chance that Tifa might be at their headquarters. And you're right…we'll need more than a couple of people to do this."

"Hell yeah!" Barret stood up eagerly, pumping his fist in the air. "Now you're talkin'!"

"But everyone has the option not to go. Lito is powerful…if they are against us, they'll know what they're doing. It will be dangerous. They'll have a trap set up for us. They want us to come."

Barret shrugged. "Everything we do is dangerous. I'm ready to kick some Lito ass!"

Cloud watched him grimly. "Then there are some calls that will have to be made."

**Author's Notes: **CHAPTER UPDATED 8/2011

I finally updated again! Yay! Thank you for all the reviews. They make me happy. (:

So I hope you like the way this chapter turned out. I do. I hope that I characterized Cloud and Barret well. I tried very hard, but Barret is tough for me, for some reason. But I wanted some more AVALANCHE interaction in this chapter. Of course, there will be quite a bit in later chapters.

So, review! Reviews keep me going! Until next time, then. –waves-


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